Short Summary

One of the biggest mass meetings ever held in Cyprus was filmed June 28 by VISNEWS, as thousands of left-wing Greek Cypriots rallied in procession at Nicosia.

Description

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LV. Procession.
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CV. Spectators applaud.
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LV. Top shot procession - banners.
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CV Buglers in procession.
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LV. Top shot - procession.
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CV. Demonstrators chanting.
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LV. Top shot demonstrators assembled.
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Initials ANH/JF/CW

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: One of the biggest mass meetings ever held in Cyprus was filmed June 28 by VISNEWS, as thousands of left-wing Greek Cypriots rallied in procession at Nicosia. Their main demand: reinstatement of Akel - the banned Communist party.

Organizers claimed more than 120,000 people - over a quarter of the island's Greek population - attended the meeting. Akel's General Secretary, Ezekias Papaioannou was loudly cheered when he appeared on the dais to denounce the "scandalous proscription" of Akel in 1955. He called the continued ban "provocative and anachronistic".

Loud cries of "shame!" greeted the statement by the Mayor of Limassol, Partassides, that Cypriot freedom and independence would be "adulterated" by the existence of British bases and the presence of foreign troops - even after the Cyprus Republic is proclaimed next February.